The present invention relates to a roll baling press.
In a roll baling press known from EP-A-No. 1,156,041, the press element is an endless web consisting of two lateral link chains and a plurality of transverse rods extending therebetween. The press element is guided on a plurality of spaced rollers in the circumferential direction of the press chamber. Provided adjacent the inlet of the press chamber are two return rollers for the formation therebetween of a loop the size of which increases up to the maximum size of the press chamber. In the empty and closed state of the press chamber, the press element is supported by cam members engaging it from lateral directions, so that the loop is retained in a state corresponding to the minimum size of the press chamber. After the winding of the harvest product in the press chamber has been started, resulting in the formation of a roll bale of increasing size, the press element forming the loop is lifted off the cam elements and subsequently supported by the roll bale. During this stage the winding operation and the rotation of the roll bale are gravely hampered by the lateral engagement of the cam members.
In other known roll baling presses having a variable-volume press chamber, the press chamber is defined by a plurality of belts extending side by side. In the empty and closed state of the press chamber it is then extremely difficult to support the belts in such a manner that the start of the roll bale winding operation is not hampered and that none of the harvest product drops out between the belts.
A roll baling press having a variable-volume press chamber as known from U.S. Pat. No. 23 36 491 is provided with two endless press elements each consisting of a single web of a flexible material. A gap formed between the two press elements at the outlet side always permits a certain amount of the harvest product to be entrained outwards as the roll bale is being wound. At the beginning of the winding operation there is no press chamber of minimum size available, so that the initial winding of the core of the roll bale to be formed is retarded, resulting in localized excessive compaction or in a backup of the harvest product, respectively. This roll baling press is not capable of continuous operation, because the harvest product feed has to be interrupted by stopping the roll baling press as the finished roll bale is being tied and ejected.